Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-07-27
POETRY IN STONES.

POETRY IN STONES.
The Language. Meanings and Mvsteries
Associated With Precious Gems.
Precious stones from a very early peri
cd have been valued not only for their
rare and admirable qualities as orna-
ments, but as appropriate emblems, and
as endowed with certain mysterious pow
ers. Among other properties, they have
been supposed able to counteract many
evil influences, and to insure 10 their
possessors health and beauty, riches and
honor, good fortune and inf1uen ce. Not a
few were imagined to be endowed with
medicinal virtues. Trusting to the igno-
rance aud supersti ton of their patrons,
the Magi, or wise men of ancient times,
proclaimed the merits of precious stones
as certain cure for all the ills that flesh
is heir to. There is good reason to be-
lieve that these caterers to the public
taste became as skillful in multiplying
the names of the articles they traded in
as they were in devising magical uses for
them.
Much more satisfactory to regard is tho
use made OF precious stones as expressive
of certain sentiments. Hence, Just as a
language of flowers has been created, or
rather has grown up on no fixed principle,
and with no special object in view, we
flnd on a lim.tel scale what may be styled
language of gems. Closely allied to the
idea last indicated is the employment OF
gems as emblems Of persons, times and
seasons. and other matters.
Our object is not exactly to prove that
there are sermons IN stones" but to ex-
hibit some of our old and valued jewels
in a light which to many will b. new. To
cover the whole of the ground would re-
ouire far more space than can be allowed
for single article, but it will be possible
to supply illustrations of the principal
points adverted TO-
r TUE LANGUAGE OF dEN'; OR, THE sENTI-
MENTs ASSOCIATED WITH PRECIOUS
STONES.
Under this head a very few examples
must suffice:
Agdte-Health, prosperity, and long life.
AniethySt-Pcace of mind, earthly suffer-
ing, sorrow, deep love, and truth unto
death.
AqnTRdrine-Misfor and hope.
ID Bood-stons-Courage and success in haz-
Qrdous enterprises.
Cdr6Hac'e
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of evils.
ChrySolits from folly.
Diamond innocence, and
light; purity, life, and joy.
Emerald Success in love; faith, victory
and immortality.
Gdrnet-Constancy and fidelity.
.IGe;Hth-The same.
.Iasper-Sec Bookstore
NdidohIte-Success and happiness; also
numerous friends.
Opdl-GooI fortune; more recently mis-
fortune, though some prefer to make it
signify hope.
J'e1rL-Putitv innocence humility taara
and retiring spirit.
Ruby-Forgetfulness of evils; so Di-
vine power and love, dignity and royalty.
Sdpphire-Repentance and innocence;
also virtue, truth, constancy, contempla-
ton, Heavenly love, and Heaven.
Sdrdius-Martyrdom lin ecclesiastical
symbolism).
Sdrdonyr -Coujugal felicity, or mar.
riage bliss ana unanlmlty.
Topaz-Frien lship, fidelity, fruitful
ness, love to God, AMI Gods goodness
Turquoise Success, happiness and
numerous friends.
GEMS, BTC, AS EMBLEMs OR SYMBOLS.
The use of gems for these purposes is
especially interesting and varieI. al
though in some cases, while the fact is
certain, there is some doubt as to the pre-
else IDEAS conveyed. We snail first men
tion those gems which have been adopted
as emblematic Of the months of the year.
January, jacinth, garnet; Fe6n1ry,
amethyst; March, bIood-stone, jasper;
April sapphire, diamond; Nay. agate,
emerald ;Ja'H, emerald, agate, chalcedony;
July, onyx, ruby, carnelian; August, car
nelan, sardonyx, onyx: Sep:ember chryso-
lite; October, aquamarine, OPAL beryl;
Aove'i5er, topaz; Deeembr, ruby, turq quoise,
malachite, chrysoprase.
Instead Of the names of the months, the
signs of tho 70 liac were sometimes given.
in which case the gems were called zodiac
stones Beginning with Aquarius for
January, the rest of thu months were
represented in order by Pisces, Aries,
Taurus, Gem.ni, Cancer, Leo, Virgo,
LIBRA Scorpio, SIgittarius and Capricorn.
The gems for these were the sama "a
those above given for the months.
Another set was emblematic Of what ara
known as the seven planets, and also of
ths seven medals. These have been ex-
hiblted in the following order: Turquoise
Saturn: lead. CGrHeiidn-Jupitcr: tin.
E0ae-did-Mars: iron. Didnond-Sun:
gold. AD'ethJa-Verus: copper. Lod>
Sfo7s-Mercury: quicksilver. Crystal-
Neon: silver.
The seven coiors Of her1ldry also had
their symbols in prec Ious stones, namely:
-.OPNI afJcHs-peaTL. Sdofe-dla-
mond. GuLs-ruby. Azurs-sapphirc
peTt-emeraid. P'trpuEe-
Twelve stones were set in the breast
Plate of the Hebrew high-priest probably
as emblems Of the twelve tribes OF Israel;
on this point, however, opinions differ
We therefore merely give the names Of
tho stones as set out in the English b bic;
sardius, topaz, carbuncle, emerald, sap
phire, diamond, figure, agate, amethyst,
beryl, onyx and ,sper There is somc
about tho identity of some of
these; we therefore make no further OBJ
servations concerning them
In the New Testament the twelve foun-
dations OF tae New Jarusalcm are repro
ssnted as OF so many precious stones
The list comprises the jasper, sapphire.
chalcedony, emerald, sardonvx, sardirs,
cnrysoiite, beryl, topaz chrysoprase, ja- |
cinth and amethyst The twelve gates of |
the Heavenly city are in like manner said |
to be Of pearl By some the tweiv, foun-
oations are supposed TO symbolic as |
many apostolic virtues That is to say:
l. J1SDsr-Constancy and firm ness.
2 Saaph;V-Hsavenlyt thought
B Cha desdoay-Ardent zeal
T. E1serdI-Suavity Of manner.
8. SdrdoRyz-Variety in teaching.
8. Sardis-Realiness for martyrdom.
q Cfrysot'e-Restrained by no obstacles.
D. Bryt-PrepIreincss Of mind at all /
N-ots1-